Stars
by ShadowRebirth37
Summary: GF. One-shot. Shadow was unaware that Raven’s wish would come true, that one of them would die at he and Van's fight. He never knew that night would be his last. But he never thought his own wish would end up saving Raven… a cute little fic. Please R & R!


**AN**- Hello, ShadowRebirth37 here!! This is just a somewhat cute one-shot that popped into my head as I watched my new Zoids: Chaotic Century DVD. This little one-shot takes place during episode 57, _The Nightmare_. This is basically Shadow's view of his last night with Raven. I've worked very hard to keep Raven and Shadow in-character for this fic, so that means that it's going to be different than the adorable little interactions they have in my other fics. This scene is of my own creation and didn't take place in the series; it just popped into my head as I watched the episode. This only took about a few hours to type, so its not going to be smash-hot, but it has a cute charm. Anyway, please enjoy Stars!!

Here is a quick speech guide…  
"hello"- normal human speech  
/hello/- Organoid speech  
'_hello'_- Organoid thoughts

**Disclaimer**- No, I do not own Raven, Shadow, Ambient, the Geno Breaker or Zoids. I just own this fic, the plot, the storyline, and the little Shadow figure perched on top of my computer. XP

* * *

_**.:Stars:.**_

Shadow gazed at the starry sky, his unblinking sapphire eyes drifting from star to star. Raven was standing motionlessly before him, staring silently at the glittering stars. Shadow could tell he was distressed, he knew his master well enough to be able to tell. He tore his gaze from the sky and looked down at his partner, leaning down slightly to his level.

"Do you see them, Shadow? The stars?" Raven said suddenly, his gaze remaining focused on the night sky. Shadow growled a feral 'yes', leaning closer to his master. Raven sighed and looked down at his burned hand, the ruby scars seeming to gleam in the silvery light of the moons.

"It's clear, Van must be eliminated if I am to know peace…" he said quietly, tearing his gaze from the scars and looking up at the stars again. A shooting star fell from the heavens; its brilliance short lived, the pure light fading swiftly. Shadow growled softly and nosed his shoulder, trying to keep Raven from thinking dark thoughts. Raven snorted and moved his shoulder, glaring at him dangerously.

"Leave me alone, Shadow…" he growled, turning and walking back towards their small camp. Shadow sighed quietly and followed him with his eyes, standing still near the cliff. He had learned that Raven hated any sort of physical contact, or even mental contact, but that didn't mean he didn't do it. He knew that his reassurance helped Raven, although the young pilot never admitted it, and probably never will.

Shadow turned his gaze back to the sky, the twinkling lights very soothing to the dark Organoid. They always calmed him for some reason, and always helped to clear his mind and allow him to think. Raven never realized it, but they had much in common, and the ebony-haired boy never gave much thought as to what he did for him. Shadow always built the fire and set up camp, dressed his wounds and got food and water; if something were to happen to him, Raven wouldn't know how to take care of himself.

'_But of course I won't let anything happen to me, I know Raven would be in serious trouble if something happened to me, he doesn't know how to take care of himself…'_ Shadow thought, glancing back at Raven. The pilot was sitting on his sleeping bag, looking up at the stars, much like he was. _'I don't think he realizes how much I do for him, but it doesn't matter, I'll take care of him no matter what…'_ he thought, smirking slightly, before he turned and quietly made his way into the small camp.

A small fire Shadow had made was burning in the middle, the soft gold light illuminating the campsite. Raven's sleeping bag was neatly laid out, again by him, though it was now messed up due to the pilot laying on it. The canteen was carelessly thrown down to the sand, empty. The blanket Shadow always laid out for him was kicked next to the fire; Raven didn't like to use it, he for some reason thought that using a blanket in the cold showed weakness or something, Shadow really didn't care. An electric lantern was a few yards from Raven's sleeping bag, turned off, the only light coming from the fire.

Raven was laying back on the sleeping bag, his arms folded under his head, his amethyst eyes closed. He looked to be almost asleep, but Shadow knew better. Despite the cold of the desert night, he wasn't inside the sleeping bag; he was merely lying on top of it, the biting cold seemingly of no annoyance to the young pilot.

"Shadow, go fetch some more water…" Raven commanded without opening his eyes, tossing the empty canteen towards the dark Organoid. Shadow caught it in his jaws, growling deeply in understanding. He spread his faded red wings and lifted silently into the darkened sky, following Raven's command. He beat his wings and winged off towards the nearby canyon, where he knew fresh water was located. The darkness and desert winds were no hindrance to the dark Organoid, Shadow gliding effortlessly over the calm and silent desert.

'_Something isn't right… Raven is much more tense than usual… I think he's worried about something…'_ he pondered, curious as to Raven's strange behavior. _'The only other time I remember him this on-edge was the night before the Geno Saurer died… maybe something bad is going to happen?'_ he thought, but shook his head to clear his thoughts.

Shadow growled and flapped his wings, slowly lowering down to the desert floor at the mouth of the canyon. Below him crystal clear water trickled up from a spring, the mirror-like surface distorting as he beat his wings. Shadow settled to the ground, flapping his wings one last time before he folded them. He shook himself, freeing all the sand and dust from his smoke-grey armor.

He leaned down and grasped the canteen in his claws, unscrewing the cap and dipping it into the cool water. Ripples spread across the surface, the image of the stars and moons distorting. The only noise came from the sound of the water filling the metal canteen, no other noise echoing down the silent canyon.

/Well Shadow, I'm surprised, a powerful Organoid such as yourself taking orders from someone as weak as Raven…/ A dark voice said suddenly, making Shadow snap his head up. He glared in the direction of the voice, and narrowed his eyes as he spied two glowing emerald orbs in the darkness.

/Shut up Ambient…/ Shadow growled, his body tensing as he prepared to fight.

/No need to worry Shadow, I didn't come for a fight with you…/ Ambient said calmly, /… I just came to talk…/

/Why should I listen to you, Ambient?/ Shadow spat, snarling at the crimson Organoid.

/I just wanted to tell you that you deserve better than that brat Raven, Shadow…/ Ambient said smoothly, stalking slowly out of the darkness, /… you don't deserve to be misused and abused by that arrogant human. Why haven't you left that kid yet? Or better yet, why haven't you killed him? If I had a partner like Raven, the boy would have had an unfortunate 'accident' by now. You're not bound by the Organoid-Zoidian bond, you can just leave if you wanted too…/

/I'd never leave Raven, Ambient, he needs me, even if he doesn't know it/ Shadow growled, quickly growing impatient with the crimson Organoid. /Besides, even though he is a brat, he still deserves a friend, someone to watch over him…/

/Such a noble sentiment…/ Ambient smirked, /… but seriously Shadow, has the thought not once crossed your mind? You deserve a partner that at least cares about you. Hiltz always makes sure I'm all right and well, and let's me do whatever I want. But Raven won't even let you touch him… to me, that doesn't seem like a good working relationship…/

/I never asked for your opinion, Ambient…/ Shadow growled, narrowing his sapphire eyes, /… the thought has crossed my mind before, when I was younger, but no matter how mad he makes me sometimes, I could never bring myself to harm him…/

/I could always kill him for you…/ Ambient smirked in dark humor, flicking the deadly spines that armed his tail.

/Never Ambient, I would never let you harm my master!!/ Shadow roared, baring his teeth threateningly and flexing his claws.

/Whoa, settle down, I never said I was _going_ to kill him…/ Ambient said hurriedly, putting his clawed hands up defensively, /… but honestly, I came here to tell you something, Shadow, something you'd probably like to know…/

/I don't really care about what you have to say, Ambient…/ Shadow growled deeply, starting to turn to fly away.

/I just think you ought to start looking for a new master, Shadow…/ Ambient said, smirking slightly. Shadow instantly froze, turning back to him, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

/What do you mean, Ambient?/ Shadow said, growing worried and nervous that Raven was in danger.

/I'm just saying, I have a feeling something bad is going to happen to Raven or you when he fights Van, Shadow…/ Ambient said, his emerald eyes seeming to soften slightly in what looked almost like _concern_, /… I think you should get out of here while you still have the chance; something is going to happen to you or Raven. Van and the Guardian Force have gotten smart, they know about your fuse limit. They've planned for it; if you and Raven go charging in there, one of you is going to get killed, and personally, I don't want to see you die…/

/Thanks for the advice, Ambient, but personally I don't believe you…/ Shadow snapped, /… Raven and I can easily crush Van and his pathetic Guardian Force friends, they don't stand a chance…/ he growled, spreading his wings and flying up and out of the canyon, leaving Ambient.

Shadow grasped the canteen tightly in his claws, turning and soaring in the direction of he and Raven's camp. As much as he hated to admit it, Ambient had had a point. _'Raven is a brat sometimes, but without me he wouldn't last more than a few days… maybe I do deserve better, but I could never leave or kill him, I just couldn't… but what did Ambient mean by 'something will happen to one of us'? Is it true that Van has discovered the Breaker's sole weakness? Or was he just bluffing? I don't know…'_ Shadow shook his head, focusing on flying to keep his mind off the confusing and disturbing thoughts.

The winds had died down, and he made it back to he and Raven's small camp quickly. He circled once, looking down, making sure everything was all right. Raven appeared to have fallen asleep, and the fire was getting dangerously low. Shadow slowly lowered to the ground, beating his wings as his feet touched the ground, creating a whirlwind of sand. He shook himself and growled in annoyance, the sand clinging to his smoothly armored body, the course grains scratching at him and grinding in his joints.

He shook his head and snorted loudly, holding the filled canteen in his talons. Raven was asleep, lying on his side on the sleeping bag, eyes closed and body relaxed. Shadow's dramatic landing hadn't done any good to the dying fire, only a few glowing embers and lonely flares remaining of the fire. The desert was silent once again, no noise drifting over the sand, almost as if the landscape was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

Shadow quietly walked over to Raven, setting the canteen next to his sleeping bag. The young ebony-haired boy didn't even stir; he was in a deep sleep. The dark Organoid quickly turned his attention to the fire, which was threatening to die out if it wasn't fed wood at the very moment. Shadow walked over to it and kicked a few logs into the embers, which sated the fire's huger for fuel, the flames once again chasing away the darkness.

'_Could Ambient have had a point?'_ Shadow thought, his glowing blue eyes staring into the dancing orange flames of the fire, _'Raven has been tense lately… __is__ something bad going to happen to him? Or me, for that matter? But, I feel the danger isn't from Van; I doubt he and his friends are smart enough to figure out about my fuse limit. I feel Hiltz may be plotting something… he was acting strange after talking with the Kaiser, he's up to something…'_ he snorted and dismissed his thoughts, not wanting to trouble himself over the meaningless events. A calm, cool wind brushed past him, the cold breeze not at all bothering the dark Organoid.

A quiet noise behind him made Shadow turn, his gaze falling upon his sleeping partner. Raven groaned quietly and started shivering, the cold no doubt bothering the young human. Shadow didn't realize just how could it was, he was an Organoid, so the cold didn't really register or bother him. Since Raven had dozed off, he was lying on top of his sleeping bag, and exposed to the cold and wind. And the fact that the fire had died down while he had been getting water hadn't helped much; he must have gotten too cold during his short trip.

Shadow looked around, and spied the blanket Raven had carelessly kicked near the fire. The fabric was warm from the flames, even though the fire must have been low most of the time he had been getting water. Shadow picked the blanket up in his claws, careful not to rip the fabric with his razor-like claws. He quietly carried it over to Raven, trying to keep from waking up his young partner.

Being as quiet as he could, Shadow carefully laid the warm blanket over him, hoping it would be enough to keep him warm through the night. Raven instantly stopped shivering, sighing quietly and falling back into a deep sleep. Shadow carefully stepped back, hoping Raven wouldn't wake up and yell at him for covering him in the blanket. Thankfully, the young pilot didn't stir, and Shadow sighed and walked silently back over to the fire.

Groaning quietly, Shadow crouched down next to the fire, letting the warmth of the flames envelope his metal body. He sighed happily and closed his eyes, basking in the welcome warmth. Even though the cold was of no bother, he still enjoyed the warmth of the fire on a cold night. The dark Organoid growled deep in his throat and curled his tail around himself, though he still kept his legs and arms beneath his body in a crouch, in case he needed to jump up to drive away any intruders or wild animals.

He twisted around and bit at the joints on his armored body, feeling the annoying grinding of sand in the seams. Shadow hated the feeling, it made him feel old and run down, but also pained him slightly. Normally, his partner would have carried out the job of cleaning the sand from his critical joints, but Raven scarcely cared about his well being, so he had to clean it out himself. He never could clean all of the sand out on his own, but he cleaned himself enough that it wasn't of any hindrance to his movement.

Shadow lifted his head, his glowing sapphire eyes looking up to the stars. The glittering, sparkling stars seemed to be specks of diamond on the ebony background of the sky, looking almost like holes punched in a black backlit canopy. The streaks of light that colored the sky seemed to have been painted on the black sky and glittered with a silver and gold light; the glowing of the Milky Way. The night was clear and calm, nothing stopping the light of the stars and moons from reaching the Organoid's eyes.

As he watched, a single star began to glow brighter than the others, before it began to fall, leaving a streak of silvery light as it descended. Shadow watched as it painted its path across the sky, looking like a silver teardrop sliding down the black sky. He blinked his glowing eyes, watching as it began to dim. A thought crossed his mind, that he should wish upon it, but he thought it was ridiculous. But as the star began to fade, he gave the idea a second thought. _'Why not? It can't hurt…'_ he thought, shrugging. He looked at the falling star a last time before he closed his glittering eyes, sighing softly and relaxing.

/Eve, may no harm come to my master, Raven, in the coming fight. May nothing hurt him if I shall fall in battle. If I die, please protect and guard him, he's just a frightened boy deep down…/ he said quietly, opening his eyes. Shadow looked up, and was surprised to see the star still falling, its light growing weak as it began to die. Just before its light died away, it flashed brightly, almost like a promise to grant his wish, before it faded from existence. He stared at the empty area in space the star once occupied, wondering if what he had just done was as idiotic as it seemed.

'_It's just a shooting star, its not like it's going to do anything…'_ Shadow tried to reassure himself, _'… but what if I really do die in battle? Will my wish come true?'_ he thought, lowering his gaze to the sand before him, _'… will Raven be safe if I die? Will he be able to learn to take care of himself and pilot on his own? Or will he be captured, or worse?'_ Shadow shook his head, not wanting to think such thoughts of death.

Shadow lowered his head to the cool sand with a sigh, his sapphire eyes closing and body fully relaxing. The heat of the fire had fully warmed his metal body, though he had no intention to leave his spot by the fire. He sighed again, his warm metallic breath stirring the sand beneath his head. Shadow loved times like these, when he had time to himself, to just relax and think without Raven's interruption.

Another calm wind slowly spilled over the small camp, washing over Shadow's body like cool water. It didn't bother him in the slightest, the metal of his body retaining the warmth from the flames. But just as he started to doze off, he heard a stressed sigh from Raven, making him open his eyes slightly. He lifted his head and looked back at his sleeping partner, and sure enough the young human was shivering again. Apparently humans weren't built for cold nights in the desert.

Snorting in slight annoyance, Shadow got to his feet, turning and walking silently over to his young master. Raven was still asleep, though he was shivering from the cold winds. Shadow leaned down and lightly nosed his cheek, but pulled back instantly, the young pilot's skin cold to the touch from the winds. He sighed and cocked his head slightly, not really knowing if his partner's shivering and coldness was of concern or not. An almost silent moan from Raven told him it probably was of concern, and that he should do something about it.

Growling softly, Shadow laid down next to his master, gently curling around his sleeping form, hoping the heat his metal body had absorbed from the fire would warm him. He was very careful not to wake him, knowing he would get a hard hit on the nose for doing this if Raven awoke. But instead of waking up, Raven stopped shivering, Shadow's body warming him and shielding him from the winds. Shadow sighed quietly and looked at his partner, his glittering sapphire eyes closing slightly. Even though months had passed, Shadow knew Raven was still recovering physically from the years in the desert. He was still weak and his strength still returning, his body still trying to recover. Shadow had been paying close attention to him, for he knew Raven could easily harm himself in his state, even if he didn't realize it.

Shadow sighed and lowered his head to the sand, closing his glowing blue eyes. The sand was packing into his joints due to the position he was in, the grinding feeling greatly bothering the Organoid. He could have easily gotten up and curled up on the Geno Breaker, but he knew Raven needed to stay warm, or else he could fall ill. And Shadow knew that any sort of illness would be a disaster, for if Raven was even weakened slightly, he could get severely injured or killed in a battle.

As if responding to his thoughts, Raven shifted slightly and groaned, no doubt sensing Shadow curled around him, even though he was asleep. Shadow snorted quietly and lifted his head, looking at his master. Raven shifted again and his breathing changed, oddly tense and restless, which Shadow found strange. Growling softly, Shadow leaned down and licked Raven's cheek, hoping it would calm him enough for him to sleep. It appeared to work, for Raven stilled instantly, his breathing evening and body relaxing.

"Thank you, Shadow…" Raven breathed, half asleep, just barely sensing Shadow's presence. Shadow blinked his eyes in shock, for he had expected to be smacked for his action. He recovered and growled quietly, softly nosing his shoulder. Raven didn't react, for he had fallen back into a deep sleep. Shadow sighed and lowered his head back to the sand; after all, he didn't want Raven to fully wake up, for he knew he would be in for a harsh scolding.

He sighed quietly, knowing Raven had only said that because he was half asleep. Shadow knew Raven would never thank or care about him, but he didn't really mind. The only thing that really bothered Shadow was the thought that if he died, no one would mourn or cry for him; he'd die alone and not be missed. But he knew Raven wouldn't be upset or even care if he died, he knew that to him, he was little more than a tool. But, that didn't mean he didn't care about Raven. The young human was his master, and the only thing he could ever wish for if he was to die is that Raven would stay safe and sound without his presence, and that maybe his wish would protect him.

Just as the Shadow's eyes closed and the Organoid drifted off to sleep, a star flashed in the heavens, and shot across the sky…

* * *

**AN**- I kinda liked this. And of course Ambient was just faking being concerned about Raven and Shadow. Personally, I think I nailed Shadow and Raven pretty well, in terms of their interactions with each other before Shadow's death. Poor Raven doesn't realize how much Shadow cares about him. Or at least he learns too late, unfortunately. This little one-shot didn't really take a lot of time or effort on my part; I may start writing and posting random one-shots every now and then. Would you guys like that? Anyway, what did you think of it? Did you like it? Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and please leave a nice review!! ;D

_**~Ibeyla ^^**_


End file.
